January First by Michael Schofield was an ultimately interesting read that I finished in less than 24 hours.
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Having worked with mentally ill children for 6 years, I was instantly intrigued by this memoir. January First is about a young girl diagnosed with child onset schizophrenia and the years that it took to pin that diagnosis down and what happened in he meantime. Told from the eyes of her father, this memoir gives a glimpse into the home of January.
Jani's story is compelling & it mirrors stories I've heard (and even some I've witnessed) working in this field. Having worked with a few children with the diagnosis of child onset schizophrenia, I get it- I get what Micheal was dealing with. What I don't get is his pure narcissism. He is the reason I rated this 4 stars. Michael's obsession with being the only one who can help Jani is tiring. As is some of the tactics he uses. I can sympathize with his plight, but I still can't get over some of the things he did and some of the things he chose to overlook and ignore. He was either sticking his head in the sand or screaming from the rooftops that he (and he alone) is the solution to Jani's struggles.
Overall, January First is an interesting look into the eyes of child onset schizophrenia... as well as a look into the eyes of a father who happily takes on the role of martyr.
If you're interested in learning more, the Schofield's have a site with mounds of information. You can find it here: Jani's Journey
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